Moananui-a-Kiwa
Ngārimu
VC
Born in Whareponga, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Ancestors 
Son of Hāmuera Meketū Ngārimu
and [mother unknown]
Brother of
Mihihara Whakaara (Ngārimu) Ngata
[spouse(s) unknown]
[children unknown]
Died
at age 24
in Tebaga Gap, Tunisia
Profile last modified
| Created 11 Nov 2020
This page has been accessed 236 times.
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Biography
Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngārimu VC is Notable.
2nd Lt Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngārimu VC served in the New Zealand Army in World War II
Service started: 1940
Unit(s):
Service ended: 27 Mar 1943
Service started: 1940
Unit(s):
Service ended: 27 Mar 1943
Te Moananui-a-Kiwa was born in 1919. He was the son of Ngārimu. He passed away in 1943. A posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu was the first person of Māori descent to be given the award. He was killed in action during the Tunisian campaign of the Second World War, labelled 'Operation Supercharge II'. Ngarimu's company was tasked with the capture of Point 209 on a hill held by the German 433 Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the 164th Light Division. He led his men up the slope through intense machine gun and mortar fire, "displaying courage and leadership of the highest order... personally annihilating at least two enemy machine gun posts." The platoon captured a feature forward of Point 209 before having to repel multiple German counter-attacks during the night, during which he was wounded twice - shot in the shoulder and shrapnel in the leg. He refused to leave his men despite his wounds and, after he had been reinforced in the morning, Ngarimu was killed in another defence of his position. The citation says that: "He was killed on his feet defiantly facing the enemy with his tommy-gun at his hip." Ngarimu's bravery and fortitude played a large part in the surrender of the Germans who were still resisting on Point 209 itself, another success in the offensive in North Africa that turned the tide in the War.[1]
Sources
- ↑ https://veteransfoundation.org.uk/wall?h=9392&fbclid=IwAR1bC7R4zSZxl7QtzLYm2NOuJEDROB8d8E4N3GKarg7T-YjOIkFOVziwq0I
- Whai Ngata. 'Ngārimu, Te Moananui-a-Kiwa', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 2000, updated January, 2002. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5n9/ngarimu-te-moananui-a-kiwa (accessed 11 November 2020)
- Wikipedia contributors. (2020, October 14). Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 08:28, November 11, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa_Ngarimu&oldid=983556865
- Wikidata: Item Q6886394
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Categories: Victoria Cross | Ngāti Porou | Te Whānau-ā-Apanui | Killed in Action, New Zealand, World War II | New Zealand, Notables | Notables | 28th Māori Battalion, New Zealand Army, World War II